"The prudent capitalist will never adventure his capital . . . if there exists a state of uncertainty as to whether the Government will repeal tomorrow what it has enacted today."

"A decent and manly examination of the acts of the Government should be not only tolerated, but encouraged."

"But I contend that the strongest of all governments is that which is most free."

"Popularity, I have always thought, may aptly be compared to a coquette—the more you woo her, the more apt is she to elude your embrace."

"Wealth can only be accumulated by the earnings of industry and the savings of frugality."

"Here lies the body of my good horse, 'The General.' For twenty years he bore me around the circuit of my practice, and in all that time he never made a blunder. Would that his master could say the same!"

"With me it is exceptionally true that the Presidency is no bed of roses."

"Public opinion: May it always perform one of its appropriate offices, by teaching the public functionaries of the State and of the Federal Government, that neither shall assume the exercise of powers entrusted by the Constitution to the other."

"I am heartily rejoiced that my term is so near its close. I will soon cease to be a servant and will become a sovereign."

"For more than half a century, during which kingdoms and empires have fallen, this Union has stood unshaken. The patriots who formed it have long since descended to the grave; yet still it remains, the proudest monument to their memory. . ."

"It would be judicious to act with magnanimity towards a prostrate foe."

"The idea that I should become President seems to me too visionary to require a serious answer. It has never entered my head, nor is it likely to enter the head of any other person."

"If the rabble were lopped off at one end and the aristocrat at the other, all would be well with the country."

"Honest conviction is my courage; the Constitution is my guide."

"The goal to strive for is a poor government but a rich people."

"I have never advocated war except as a means of peace."

"My failures have been errors of judgment, not of intent."

"The Southern rebellion was largely the outgrowth of the Mexican war. Nations, like individuals, are punished for their transgressions. We got our punishment in the most sanguinary and expensive war of modern times."

"No other people have a government more worthy of their respect and love or a land so magnificent in extent, so pleasant to look upon, and so full of generous suggestion to enterprise and labor."

"Lincoln had faith in time, and time has justified his faith."

"We Americans have no commission from God to police the world."

"The disfranchisement of a single legal elector by fraud or intimidation is a crime too grave to be regarded lightly."

"That's all a man can hope for during his lifetime—to set an example—and when he is dead, to be an inspiration for history."

"Unlike any other nation, here the people rule, and their will is the supreme law. It is sometimes sneeringly said by those who do not like free government, that here we count heads. True, heads are counted, but brains also . . ."

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

"Speak softly and carry a big stick."

"The only man who makes no mistake is the man who does nothing."

"The intoxication of power rapidly sobers off in the knowledge of its restrictions and under the prompt reminder of an ever-present and not always considerate press, as well as the kindly suggestions that not infrequently come from Congress."

"Politics, when I am in it, makes me sick."

"Next to the right of liberty, the right of property is the most important individual right guaranteed by the Constitution . ."

"Peace is not made at the Council table or by treaties, but in the hearts of men."

"A splendid storehouse of integrity and freedom has been bequeathed to us by our forefathers. In this day of confusion, of peril to liberty, our high duty is to see that this storehouse is not robbed of its contents."

"Absolute freedom of the press to discuss public questions is a foundation stone of American liberty."

"We . . . declared our independence 200 years ago, and we are not about to lose it now to paper shufflers and computers."

"Truth is the glue that holds governments together. Compromise is the oil that makes governments go."

"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have."

"The best way to enhance freedom in other lands is to demonstrate here that our democratic system is worthy of emulation."

"Our American values are not luxuries but necessities—not the salt in our bread, but the bread itself. Our common vision of a free and just society is our greatest source of cohesion at home and strength abroad—greater than the bounty of our material blessings."

"We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles."

"There is nothing wrong in America that can't be fixed with what is right in America."

"If you live long enough, you'll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you'll be a better person. It's how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit."

"We need a spirit of community, a sense that we are all in this together. If we have no sense of community, the American dream will wither."

"Recognizing and confronting our history is important. Transcending our history is essential. We are not limited by what we have done, or what we have left undone. We are limited only by what we are willing to do."

"If you don't feel something strongly you're not going to achieve."

"We will bring the terrorists to justice; or we will bring justice to the terrorists. Either way, justice will be done."

"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West—know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."